Garment hanger



9x523, 1952 K ODOR 2,622,773

GARMENT HANGER Filed Feb. 14, 1949 INVENTOR.

ATTOK/VEK Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE GARMENT HANGER Ralph K. Odor, Fisher Hills, Edmons, Okla. Application February 14, 1949, Serial No. 76,214

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to garment hangers of the type particularly adapted for supporting coats, jackets or similar articles of clothing, as well as simultaneously carrying skirts, trousers or articles of clothing that cannot be hung in a manner similar to coats where shoulder and neck portions may be engaged.

The primary aim of this invention is to provide a garment hanger of the aforementioned character wherein the main body thereof is so formed and contoured as to be capable of mounting the coat or jacket and holding the same in a condition where objectional folds or wrinkles will not be created therein and in a manner simulating the normal condition and position of the parts of the garment when they are actually worn.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a garment hanger with a body of the foregoing type and character, which body carries thereon manually manipulable skirt or trouser supporting elements that will hang a garment without shifting the position of the aforesaid hanger body to a place where its intended function cannot be utilized.

Further aims of the instant invention include the provision in a garment hanger of the aforementioned kind and character of rugged and easily manipulated retaining parts for the skirt and pant hanger portion of the device and an uniquely-formed hook on the body, which hook being so offset between its point of juncture with the hanger body and the head thereof as to insure proper angularity and disposition of the hanger body and associated elements when the head of the hook is in the normal position and fulfilling its intended purpose.

Still further aims of the invention are to provide an unitary, molded body to form a part of the garment hanger assembly, which body carries in an unique and novel manner the component parts of a skirt or pant hanging clamp equipped with means for retaining the clamp in a set position, regardless of the thickness of the garment engaged by the cooperating jaws that form a part of the structure.

The form of garment hanger embodying the broad concepts of my invention and which has been found commercially satisfactory is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the garment hanger, showing the skirt or pant hanger assembly.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a partial top edge plan view.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view analogous to that shown in Fig. 4 but illustrating the clamp of the pant or skirt hanger in a released position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational View of a modified form of garment hanger; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line IX-IX of Fig. 8.

The broad objects of this invention are fulfilled only when the body, broadly designated by the numeral ID, of the hanger is formed and contoured as illustrated in the drawing and to present a substantially triangular form having downwardly and outwardly diverging arms I2 merging into and forming an unit with a neck portion I4. The lower, outer ends of arms I2 remote from the neck I4 are interconnected by a bar I 6, and the single-piece body II] is completed by member IB that joins neck I4 and bar I6 in a manner shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

Reference to Fig. 4 will indicate the manner in which neck It recedes rearwardly from the normally front surface of body I0, and Figs. 1, 3 and 4 show the manner of transversely arching neck It to simulate the form and contour of a garment wearers neck.

The edges of neck I4 and arms I2 are provided with flanges or rolled edges as at 28 and 22, respectively, not only for the purpose of imparting rigidity to the body IE! but to present the proper contouring to the upper portions of the arms I2, which contouring will preserve the form of the garment accommodated by the hanger.

The outermost ends of arms I2 are downturned to close the ends of connecting bar I6, and these downturned ends 24 are arched to present. a smooth, rounded surface, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The outer face of bar I6 is longitudinally and tranversely arched to a slight degree, and the said face of bar I6 merges with member It which, in turn, merges with neck I l to present a transversely-arched face, as clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Thus, the outer, normally front face of triangular body H3 is longitudinally andtransversely arched to insure smoothness and natural contour for presentation to the garment mounted on the device.

In actual practice, the body I6 is formed of molded plastic or metal, and the contouring, therefore, is without sharp angles or wrinkles; and, when the body is hung through the use of the specially-formed hook, connecting bar I6 rests against the inside of the garment as neck I4 is engaged by the neck portion of the coat or jacket being accommodated by the hanger.

This said hook assembly is shown in detail by Figs. 1 and 4. The hook 26 has a head 28 formed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to engage any suitable supporting element. The shank 36 of this hook 26 is offset, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and the end of shank 26 is looped as at 32 to engage a grooved boss 34 integral with the neck portion I4 of body I6.

During assembly, when loop 32 is introduced into grooved boss 34, a cap 36 is secured in place to maintain loop 32 in operative condition where it will pivot about the axis of a portion ofloop 32, which axis is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of body I6. The formation of hook 36 in the manner just described and illustrated will dispose head 26 substantially in a plane with the outermost portion of the surface of the arched, outer face of the body I6.

Likewise, head 28 is above, parallel to and in substantially the same plane as the hereinafterdescribed resilient facing forming a part of the pant or skirt-receiving assembly of the hanger.

It is oftertimes desirable to mount pants or skirts upon the hanger with the jacket or coat forming a part of a complete suit; and, therefore, this hanger includes novel and unique means for so doing. The inner side of connecting bar I6 carries a facing 38 of resilient material such as sponge rubber. This facing has a flat surface against which the garment is pressed by a follower 46. The follower is formed of wire or other suitable material and pivotally mounted as at 42 directly in bearings created in a part of body I6.

In this instance, the bearings are openings in the opposed flanges 44 along each edge of member I9. The form of follower 46 illustrated in the accompanying drawing has been found quite satisfactory because of the two straight stretches of wire 46 lie snugly against the outer surface of facing 38 to clamp any garment that may be between said stretches 46 and facing 38 and thereby prevent accidental displacement thereof.

In forming this follower, a continuous piece of wire is employed and the ends are outturned as at 48 to present pivotal points that are in bearing openings 42. The lower stretch 46 has affixed thereto a yoke 56 bridging the space between the end portions of the upper stretch 46, which end portions are designated by the numeral 52 and interconnect upper stretch 46 and outturned ends 41.

Yoke 56 is secured to end portions 52 by welding, brazing or solder; and it is this yoke 56' that is engaged by the manually manipulable clamp 54. A spring 56 having one end in engagement with clamp 54 or an adjacent portion of member I8 is looped about outturned ends 48 at end portions 52 and then caught beneath the follower. Thus, the spring end constantly and yieldably urges the follower from facing 38 so long as the clamp 54 permits the outward movement.

Clamp 54 is pivotally mounted through a pair of outturned ends 66 in bearings provided in flanges 44 along each side of member I8. This 4 clamp is contoured as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and is U-shaped to present a knurled bight 62 convenient to digital grasping.

The portions of the legs of the U-shaped clamp 54 between bight 62 and outturned ends 66 is developed into a cam; and the inherent resiliency of clamp 54 maintains the same in any position that it may be caused to assume through pressure exerted thereon or manipulation by the user. The legs of clamp 54 are slightly compressed when the outturned ends 66' are moved into their respective bearings.

So disposing clamp 54 with respect to yoke 56 will cause the clamp 54 to always intersect the path of travel of yoke 56, regardless of the latters position. Thus, when garments of any thickness are presented between facing 36 and stretches 46 of follower 46, a slightly inward pressure on the bight 62 of clamp 54 will hold the follower against the garment with sufficient force to preclude accidental displacement. The frictional engagement between yoke 56 and clamp 54 insures this operation.

The positively acting clamp and follower 64 and 46, respectively, are so positioned as to be within the confines of body I6, and, therefore, are not brought into engagement with a garment in the form of a coat or jacket that is being accommodated by the device. Such arrangement of parts is desirable from the standpoint of properly holding the single garment, such as a coat or jacket; but, when pants or skirts are to be held by the hanger, such may be done without interference with the garment mounted upon body I6.

The weight exerted upon hook 26 by a garment held on body III or between follower and facing 46 and 36, respectively, will not shift the entire assembly to a point where it will not properly hold and mold the supported garments in a way contemplated and deemed desirable in the art.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, a main body I66 is formed in precisely the same manner as body I6 above described, and need not be repeated. It is important that the shape and contour of body I6 be also followed in body I66, for the same reasons above outlined, and a suitable hook (not shown) which may take the same form as hook 28, will obviously be used in connection with body I66.

Similarly, a resilient facing I62 extends across connecting bar I64 of body I66, exactly as provided in facing 38 of bar I6. In lieu of follower 46 however and its component parts, there is provided an elongated rod I65 having loops I65 and I68 extending outwardly from opposite ends thereof.

An eye-bolt III] is secured to one of the downturned ends I I2 of bar I64 for pivotally receiving loop I66. A hook II4 secured to the other end II2, releasably receives loop I66.

Rod I65 normally lies flatly against the facing I 62 as shown in Fig. 9. Thus, whenever a suit of clothes is hung on relatively low racks, the trousers can be looped over the rod I65 and then be moved against facing I62 to hold the trousers in place. The trousers can be easily removed and replaced without disturbing a coat on body I66 and when in place, the resilient and rough character of facing I62 will hold the trousers against slippage.

Thus, it will be apparent from the foregoing that garment hangers made in accordance with this invention are capable of supporting garments in a manner as to positively preserve the form and contour thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a garment hanger having an elongated bar provided with a facing and a laterally extending member on the bar intermediate the ends thereof, wire clamp structure comprising a follower having a pair of elongated, parallel stretches; a pair of spaced elements extending laterally from one of said stretches and pivotally mounted on said member for swinging movement of the follower toward and away from the facing; a U-shaped yoke having the legs thereof secured to said stretches and to said elements with the bight thereof spanning the distance between the elements intermediate the ends thereof; and a J -shaped locking device pivotally secured to said member and looped around the bight of said yoke for drawing the follower tightly against the facing as the device is swung in one direction toward the member.

2. In a garment hanger having an elongated bar provided with a facing and a laterally extending member on the bar intermediate the ends thereof, clamp structure comprising a follower including a single length of wire, rebent upon itself to present a pair of elongated, parallel stretches and having the ends thereof extending laterally from one of said stretches in opposed relationship to the other stretch; means pivotally mounting said ends on said member for swinging movement of the stretches toward and away from the facing; a yoke secured to said ends and having a bight spanning the distance therebetween, said bight being disposed between the member and said one stretch; and a J -shaped locking device pivotally secured to the member between the facing and said ends, and looped around said bight for drawing the stretches tightly against the facing as the device is swung in one direction toward the member.

RALPH K. ODOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 536,470 Horner Mar. 26, 1895 1,515,489 Johnson Nov. 11, 1924 1,955,792 Deknatel Apr. 24, 1934 2,210,344 Sheinaus Aug. 6, 1940 2,413,914 Fortner Jan. 7, 1947 2,432,251 Riemann Dec. 9, 1947 2,467,623 Lamothe Apr. 19, 1949 

